zaha hadid reveals design for sleuk rith institute in cambodia

zaha hadid has revealed her plans for the new sleuk rith institute, a center for the research of genocide to be built in phnom penh, cambodia. the scheme has been developed to embrace the country’s rich culture and redefines the traditional design approach to commemorative architecture.

the office’s first project in cambodia – and its first ever wooden construction – will be a place for the organization to continue its work compiling, analyzing and preserving information related to the khmer rouge era. the site, adjacent to a public library and law faculty of the royal university of law and economics, was donated by the cambodian government in 2008.

the scheme seeks to redefine the traditional design approach of commemorative architecture
all images courtesy of the sleuk rith institute

the documentation center of cambodia (DC cam) was established in 1995 to chronicle the brutality of the khmer rouge era. with an archive of nearly one million documents, DC cam has aimed not only to record cambodia’s tragic history, but also to help the nation recover.

the complex not only records cambodia’s tragic history, but also aims to help the nation’s continual recover

‘youk chhang’s (director of DC-cam) vision is inspirational,’ said zaha hadid. ‘his brief for the sleuk rith institute calls for beauty and an optimism for the future to heal and reconnect a country, with the documentation centre of cambodia being key to that process. working with youk chhang and the institute, we have brought together an excellent team of cambodian and international consultants that share this vision to carefully plan the sleuk rith institute.‘

those inside will learn of the values associated with knowledge, forgiveness and reconciliation

visitors to the phnom penh facility will learn the tragic legacy of the khmer rouge, remembering the helpless victims caught in the vortex of war, extremist ideology, and irrationality. the new institute will focus on ensuring against a resurgence of those conditions through a variety of instructional programs. those inside the intricately designed space will learn how the values associated with knowledge, forgiveness, reconciliation and understanding; they will also understand the events precipitated by the khmer rouge regime into the larger context of cambodia’s complex history.

the development comprises five wooden structures, rising upwards from the ground

the development comprises five locally sourced wooden structures, rising from the ground as they interweave in an upward spiral. the timber support system directly references the region’s vernacular architecture, such as the ancient temples of angkor wat. ranging from three to eight storeys, each of the buildings contains a different spatial function: the sleuk rith institute, a library, a graduate school focusing on genocide, conflicts and human rights studies, a research center and archive, a media center and an auditorium.

the timber support system directly references the region’s vernacular architecture

the institute is built around an extensive archive of original khmer rouge documentation that sits at the very heart of the building. researchers and institute staff pass through this space on a daily basis as a reminder to learn from the past while looking to the future. sheltered classrooms provide large spaces for learning that still have a strong visual connection to the surrounding environment, while informal breakout areas encourage chance interactions and cultivate an atmosphere of study throughout the complex.

the various building’s range from three to eight storeys

the library houses the largest collection of genocide related material in southeast asia. interlocking with the institute and the museum, the library connects to the school via a bridge. in this way, knowledge is always accessible to all who visit the building. the hall of contemporary arts auditorium will house lectures, music, dance, and performance on genocide and leadership issues, as well as from contemporary cambodian artists. a sense of openness prevails in the design of the hall, allowing events to use both indoor and outdoor space when weather permits.

sheltered classrooms provide large spaces for learning

the museum will house exhibitions showcasing cambodian artefacts, documents, and artworks spanning from angkor heritage through khmer rouge documents to contemporary artworks. these will be shown alongside travelling exhibitions relating to the theme of genocide alongside contemporary art from around the world.

see designboom‘s previous announcement of the project here.

internal spaces retain a strong visual connection with the surrounding environment